Is lucerne hay good for horses?

Asked by: Tyrod Prix

Lucerne is a valuable source of energy, and it can help keep your horse’s weight in check. Due to the level of proteins, it is very useful for feeding horses that are growing, horses in intense work, or mares used for breeding. The fiber found in Lucerne is a great source of the energy.

How much lucerne should I give my horse?

Providing a biscuit or two of lucerne per day is a very good way to improve the amino acid profile and therefore the protein level of the diet, but feeding lucerne as the main or only source of roughage may cause problems due to excessive amounts of protein.

Can lucerne cause colic?

During the time when the microbial population is trying to adjust to the legume, it may produce more gas or not digest the forage well. The result may be a horse with a lot of gas (possibly a little gas colic), or loose or runny manure. Making any changes in the forage portion of the diet should be done gradually.

What is the healthiest hay for horses?

Legume Hay for Horses

Alfalfa, white clover, red clover and birdsfoot trefoil are common types of legumes, with alfalfa being the most popular choice. Benefits: Legumes are higher in protein and calcium than grass hay, and may also provide more energy and a higher level of total digestible nutrients, such as vitamin A.

Does lucerne give horses diarrhea?

Lucerne/Alfalfa… if it is really fresh and green it will often cause scouring/diarrhea.

Does lucerne make horses hot?

Grains and grain based feeds, molasses and forages like lucerne hay tend to be commonly blamed for making horses ‘hot’. Whether this is because they do actually make horses hyperactive, or because they are energy dense feeds that are easy to overfeed and therefore by default make horses hot is hard to determine.

Is lucerne hay good for weight gain?

Feed lucerne hay. Lucerne (known as alfalfa in North America) is a high energy forage and makes a valuable contribution to raising a horse’s calorie intake above their daily requirement to encourage weight gain.

Is lucerne hay high in sugar?

Lucerne hay is considered to be low in sugar + starch but for unknown reasons a horse may react to the amino acid profile or be intolerant of lucerne. It is a legume rather than a grass so should not be fed straight as it produces a lot of gas.

What is the difference between lucerne and hay?

The main difference between the two is that the metabolisable energy (ME) of Lucerne hay tends to be slightly higher then Vetch hay. Both Lucerne and Vetch hay tend to have thin stems which leads to a lower fibre content and a lower relative feed value (RFV).

Is lucerne the same as alfalfa?

Alfalfa (/ælˈfælfə/) (Medicago sativa), also called lucerne, is a perennial flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae. It is cultivated as an important forage crop in many countries around the world. It is used for grazing, hay, and silage, as well as a green manure and cover crop.

Is lucerne hay OK for Laminitic horses?

Never starve a laminitic horse

For a laminitic prone horse/pony, low sugar roughage sources may include Teff hay, Rhodes grass hay, lucerne hay, beet pulp or soaked grass hay.

How long does lucerne hay last?

Hay stored undercover can maintain its quality for more than 12 months, but hay stored outdoors without cover will show significant reductions in quality, dry matter and nutrients over time. Hay can typically be stored outdoors and uncovered for up to three months, with a maximum of six months.

How much does a bale of lucerne hay cost?

Lucerne 1st cut Hay 8x4x3 Bales

80 clean Bales $450.00 / MT plus GST 64 2nds 15% Rye Grass $350.00 + GST AVG Bale weights …

How many bales of hay should a horse have a day?

A horse can eat anywhere from 15-25 pounds of hay a day, which generally equates to a half of a 45/50-pound square bale of hay per day (~15-30 bales per month).

What moisture should lucerne hay be?

For successful storage, the cut lucerne must be dried from 80–90% moisture down to 15–20%. The most important component of lucerne hay is the leaf, which contains 70% of the protein and more than 65% of the digestible energy of the whole plant.

How can you tell if lucerne hay is fresh?

Lucerne tends to lose both colour and aroma as it loses freshness. As it loses freshness, its vitamin concentration depletes, as does its palatability. A well-conditioned and baled Lucerne hay will give off a fresh, pleasant, slightly sweet, grassy odour, which should be easy to distinguish before you buy.

What first cut hay?

First cutting of hay is the one harvested first in the year from the field before it blooms. This cutting is good for horses. There is a lot of fiber, so it is nutritious, plus it is easy to eat because the stems are flexible and thin.

Can hay be too dry to bale?

When hay is too dry before baling, the leaves of the forage become stiff and brittle, making them much more likely to fall off. In many cases, a significant portion of hay’s nutritive value lies in the leafy portions of the herbs used to make the hay.

Can you bale hay at night?

Baling at night is nice if your climate will allow. Then the leaves start to toughen up before the stems and the outside before the bottom. “We used to go to the field when the air felt right. That is above 50 percent relative humidity.

Do you have to Tedder hay?

Therefore, in moist climates, a tedder, which spreads the hay for increased sun and air exposure, is most likely a necessity. There are situations, however, when a tedder should not be used. Tedders are intended to be used on crops while they are still higher in moisture and pliable.

How many days does hay need to dry?

about three days

It basically takes about three days of good weather to cure hay. This can be a challenge in late May or early June. A good strategy is to mow just before or right after a rain, because of the likelihood of good weather for the next few days.

Does raking hay help it dry?

Raking tends to roll the wetter hay from the bottom of the swath to the outer surface of the windrow, which improves drying. Following the initial improvement, the increase in swath density can reduce drying rate, so the crop moisture content at raking is important.

Is hay still good if it gets rained on?

Rained-on hay often has relatively high protein values compared to fiber content unless there’s great leaf loss. Leaves contain a lot of the plant’s protein. As soluble carbohydrates leach, structural fibers make up a greater percent of forage dry matter. The digestibility of rained-on hay can decline 6 to 40 percent.

How often should you turn hay?

In good weather the grass is tedded twice daily and in very good sunny, breezy weather haymaking should be achieved in 3 to 4 days. The old farmers rule of feeding the hay is still practiced, if it’s cold to feel it’s not fit to bale, warm to feel then it’s fit to bale.

What height do you cut hay?

According to Gelley, the general rule when mowing lawns is to remove one third of the total leaf area. For hay production of cool-season pastures, mow or graze before seedheads develop, and down to 3 to 5 inches. For warm season pastures, mow or graze down to 8 to 10 inches for proper regrowth.

What is the best time of day to cut hay?

Though starches and simple sugars accumulate during the day, a substantial amount of these carbohydrates are used up during the night for growth and maintenance (via the processes of respiration). Therefore, cutting the crop at night will likely maximize the sugar in the crop, at least at the time of cutting.